No Titanic jokes on stage says stand-up Aakash ahead of QE2 show

Indian comedian Aakash Gupta taking to Dubai ship's theatre for Friday set

FOR ALL THOSE disappointed popular Indian stand-up Aakash Gupta’s Dubai show sold out in no time at all, the comedian has added another performance to his Friday set. The new 9pm show onboard the Queen Elizabeth 2 in Mina Rashid, will encompass the artist’s entire act comprising improv and cutting material, the likes of which saw him take home TV’s Comicstaan trophy last year. With one million YouTube subscribers and his specials garnering 12 million views, Gupta’s observational humour and anecdotal comedy has become the talk of the town.

“Lots and lots of fun and laughter!” came the response when we asked Gupta what we can expect from the gig. “It’s a 60-minute act but I can assure you that you will forget all about, ‘oh 2020 wasn’t a great year’ and all that. The world won’t change because of my show, but it will give you much-needed comic relief!”

Taking up residence in an unconventional UAE venue, the QE2 possesses a superb theatre in which to host spectacles, though the fact it is a boat creates further opportunities for poking fun.

Beginning a riff on not being able to make jokes about another large famous ship, Gupta said, “Imagine standing on the cruise deck and saying, ‘Titanic also must have been this big, yeah? The crack must have happened right around here?’ The joke would never make for a good one!”

If the boat was still sailing, though, Gupta had an idea about the company he’d like to keep on a transatlantic crossing.

“Gaurav Kapoor and Gaurav Gupta, purely because they both get along really well and are quite entertaining,” he said about his fellow comics. “I’m sure to have a ball. I can just be chilling while their banter provides for the entertainment.”

Like every live act, Gupta has spent much of this year at home. Passing the time carrying out shows online, he said he is raring to get back in front of an in-room audience.

“A live audience to me, as a comedian, is the most enjoyable thing. While the other show formats are also fun and interesting in their own way, I feel that I am able to deliver my best and thrive the most when I have a live interactive audience right in front of me.

“I feel very lucky to be doing this again and that Dubai has welcomed artists like me to spread the laughter even during these times. One should never forget to laugh.”

• CityTimes